Baylor women’s basketball junior Kalani Brown and sophomore Lauren Cox garnered Associated Press All-America second team and honorable mention recognition, respectively, the organization announced Monday morning.
It is the first career All-America award for Cox, while it is Brown’s fourth All-America nod of the season and the sixth of her career. Cox is the 18th All-American in Baylor women’s basketball history, 17 of which have been mentored by 18th-year head coach Kim Mulkey.
Brown led the Lady Bears to regular season and tournament Big 12 Championships, the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and a 33-2 record. She led Baylor in scoring (20.1), rebounding (10.2), double-doubles (18) and field goal percentage (.650), which ranks second in program history to her own record of .679 established in 2016-17. Her impressive field goal percentage led the Big 12 and ranks fourth nationally this year.
The Slidell, La., native led the Big 12 in scoring (702 points), rebounding (257 rebounds) and defensive rebounds (243), ranked second in offensive rebounds (114) and fourth in blocked shots (50). She registered the top two rebounding totals in the conference with 23 boards at Oklahoma State and 21 against Lamar.
On the season, Brown registered two 30-point games, 19 20-point efforts, two 20-rebound performances and 18 double-digit rebound contests. She ranks fifth nationally in field goals made (278), 14th in final points (702) and double-doubles (18), 17th in rebounds (357) and 27th in points per game (20.1).
Brown, the unanimous Big 12 Player of the Year, All-Big 12 first team pick and Most Outstanding Player of the Big 12 Championship, has been named to the Sports Illustrated All-America first team, USA Today Sports Women’s Basketball All-America second team and espnW All-America second team. She is one of 15 players on the 2018 National Ballot for the John R. Wooden Award and one of five finalists for the Lisa Leslie Award (nation’s top center).
Cox led the Lady Bears and the Big 12 and ranks 14th nationally in blocked shots (92). She averaged just shy of a double-double with 15.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per contest. Among Big 12 players, Cox ranks third in rebounding (9.7) and defensive rebounds (6.8), fourth in offensive rebounds (2.9) and ninth in scoring (15.3). She blocked a conference-best nine shots at Iowa State.
The Flower Mound, Texas, native compiled 15 double-doubles, one 30-point game, seven 20-point performances and 17 double digit rebounding efforts on the season. Cox ranks 21st nationally in rebounds (331) and 35th in double-doubles (15).
Cox earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors and was also named to the All-Big 12 first team and to the Big 12 All-Defensive squad. She is one of five finalists for the Katrina McClain Award (nation’s top power forward).
